Evansville man seriously injured in scooter accident

EVANSVILLE - Evansville police are still investigating a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 41 Wednesday night involving a scooter that sent two people to the hospital — one with serious injuries.

According to the police report, the scooter was crossing U.S. 41 on Riverside Drive at about 9:20 p.m., when it collided with a 2010 Chrysler attempting to turn left onto the highway. The impact threw both the driver of the scooter, 50-year-old Michael N. Henderson and his passenger, 37-year-old Alyssa R. Williams-Smalls, both of Evansville, from the bike.

Henderson struck the side of the car, according to the report, He suffered severe blood loss and a serious leg injury, according to police. Williams-Smalls complained of back pain, according to the report. Both were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center. According to a hospital official, Henderson was in critical condition Thursday morning., while Williams-Smalls was listed in good condition.

According to the report, the car's driver, Debra L. Powell of Evansville, told police she did not see the scooter when she started her turn while the stoplight at the intersection was still yellow. Neither Powell, 50, nor her three passengers — all under age 15 — were injured.

According to the report, investigators ruled the initial cause of the crash was that Powell failed to yield the right of way. Police also noted that a test of Henderson's blood showed that he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.17, according to the crash report.